1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for processing messages in a message processing device and to a message processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to exchange information and improve safety in road traffic, vehicles communicate with one another and with infrastructure sensors. Infrastructure sensors are fixed data stations, referred to as roadside units. A vehicle receives messages from other vehicles or from roadside units which comprise traffic flow information, warnings about ice on the road or warnings about accidents. Due to such communication, a vehicle receives a large number of messages, for example in the form of what are referred to as wireless short message (WSM). The WSMs are processed in a linear sequence according to the IEEE 1609 standard. According to the IEEE 1609.2 standard, the WSMs are protected by a digital signature, which permits security checking of the message and allows detection of manipulation. Such security checking is very demanding in terms of computing power and storage capacity of the unit, which receives the message in the vehicle due to the high rate of incoming messages.